ATI Gastrointestinal System Drugs
Q: What administration considerations apply to sulfasalazine? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Monitor stool for intact pills.
Make sure clients do not crush or chew the delayed-release tablets.
Mesalamine available orally, as a retention enema, and in suppository form.
Expect an orange-yellow discoloration of alkaline urine and skin (sulfasalazine).
Q: What are adverse drug reactions associated with sulfasalazine? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Headache
Pneumonitis
Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drug-induced hepatitis
Crystalluria, infertility, oligospermia, orange-yellow discoloration of urine
Exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, rash, photosensitivity,
yellow discoloration of urine
Agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, blood dyscrasias, eosinophilia, hemolytic anemia, megaloblastic
anemia, thrombocytopenia,
Peripheral neuropathy
Angioedema
Hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis
Fever
Q: What is the brand/trade name for sulfasalazine? - correct answer ✔✔A: Azulfidine
Q: What administration considerations apply to alosetron? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Make sure clients meet specific criteria and sign the required treatment agreement before
administration.
Risk management program
Client, provider, pharmacist
,Outlines potential adverse effects
Outlines criteria that must be met for treatment
Only for women who did not improve with traditional therapies
Give orally twice daily.
Reevaluate after 4 weeks without improvement and recommend an increased dosage if the client is
tolerating the drug.
Stop therapy after 8 weeks if diarrhea persists.
Q: What administration considerations apply to aluminum hydroxide? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Administer orally up to four times a day.
Make sure clients chew tablets thoroughly and follow with at least 8 oz of water
Do not give within 1 to 2 hr of administering drugs that interact with antacids.
Q: What administration considerations apply to dimenhydrinate? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give dimenhydrinate orally, IM, or IV.
Give the initial dose 30 to 60 min before the activity that triggers nausea.
Give subsequent doses before meals and at bedtime.
Make sure clients do not swallow chewable tablets whole.
Q: What administration considerations apply to psyllium? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally one to three times a day with at least 8 oz of fluid.
Mix powdered forms with 8 oz of fluid.
Expect soft, formed stools 1 to 3 days after initiating therapy.
Tell clients that taking it before meals might reduce appetite.
Q: What administration considerations apply to ranitidine hydrochloride? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally, IM, or IV.
Give with or without food (given with meals, immediately afterwards, or at bedtime does prolong effect).
Administer IV preparation slowly to avoid bradycardia.
, Do not give antacids within 1 hr of administration.
Make sure clients dissolve effervescent tablets in water and do not chew them, swallow them whole, or
allow them to dissolve on the tongue.
Q: What administration considerations apply to azathioprine? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally or IV.
Give oral forms with food to minimize gastrointestinal upset.
Expect the onset of therapeutic effects to take up to 6 months.
Q: What administration considerations apply to lubiprostone? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally twice a day with food or water to minimize nausea.
Make sure clients swallow the capsule whole.
Do not administer if client is experiencing diarrhea
Q: What administration considerations apply to sucralfate? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Administer orally on an empty stomach.
Give four times a day, 1 hr before the usual three mealtimes and again at bedtime.
Do not give antacids within 30 min of administration.
Do not give within 2 hr of administering fluoroquinolone antibiotics, warfarin (Coumadin), phenytoin
(Dilantin), theophylline (Theolair), digoxin (Lanoxin), tetracycline, or diazepam (Valium).
Q: What administration considerations apply to diphenoxylate/atropine and loperamide? - correct
answer ✔✔A:
Diphenoxylate/atropine
Give orally.
Give 20 mg/day in 5-mg doses.
Continue for 24 to 36 hr to determine its efficacy.
Be aware that excessive doses of diphenoxylate can cause CNS effects similar to morphine, but atropine
in high doses causes unpleasant effects that discourage abuse; treat overdoses with naloxone.
Loperamide
Q: What administration considerations apply to sulfasalazine? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Monitor stool for intact pills.
Make sure clients do not crush or chew the delayed-release tablets.
Mesalamine available orally, as a retention enema, and in suppository form.
Expect an orange-yellow discoloration of alkaline urine and skin (sulfasalazine).
Q: What are adverse drug reactions associated with sulfasalazine? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Headache
Pneumonitis
Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drug-induced hepatitis
Crystalluria, infertility, oligospermia, orange-yellow discoloration of urine
Exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, rash, photosensitivity,
yellow discoloration of urine
Agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, blood dyscrasias, eosinophilia, hemolytic anemia, megaloblastic
anemia, thrombocytopenia,
Peripheral neuropathy
Angioedema
Hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis
Fever
Q: What is the brand/trade name for sulfasalazine? - correct answer ✔✔A: Azulfidine
Q: What administration considerations apply to alosetron? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Make sure clients meet specific criteria and sign the required treatment agreement before
administration.
Risk management program
Client, provider, pharmacist
,Outlines potential adverse effects
Outlines criteria that must be met for treatment
Only for women who did not improve with traditional therapies
Give orally twice daily.
Reevaluate after 4 weeks without improvement and recommend an increased dosage if the client is
tolerating the drug.
Stop therapy after 8 weeks if diarrhea persists.
Q: What administration considerations apply to aluminum hydroxide? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Administer orally up to four times a day.
Make sure clients chew tablets thoroughly and follow with at least 8 oz of water
Do not give within 1 to 2 hr of administering drugs that interact with antacids.
Q: What administration considerations apply to dimenhydrinate? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give dimenhydrinate orally, IM, or IV.
Give the initial dose 30 to 60 min before the activity that triggers nausea.
Give subsequent doses before meals and at bedtime.
Make sure clients do not swallow chewable tablets whole.
Q: What administration considerations apply to psyllium? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally one to three times a day with at least 8 oz of fluid.
Mix powdered forms with 8 oz of fluid.
Expect soft, formed stools 1 to 3 days after initiating therapy.
Tell clients that taking it before meals might reduce appetite.
Q: What administration considerations apply to ranitidine hydrochloride? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally, IM, or IV.
Give with or without food (given with meals, immediately afterwards, or at bedtime does prolong effect).
Administer IV preparation slowly to avoid bradycardia.
, Do not give antacids within 1 hr of administration.
Make sure clients dissolve effervescent tablets in water and do not chew them, swallow them whole, or
allow them to dissolve on the tongue.
Q: What administration considerations apply to azathioprine? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally or IV.
Give oral forms with food to minimize gastrointestinal upset.
Expect the onset of therapeutic effects to take up to 6 months.
Q: What administration considerations apply to lubiprostone? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Give orally twice a day with food or water to minimize nausea.
Make sure clients swallow the capsule whole.
Do not administer if client is experiencing diarrhea
Q: What administration considerations apply to sucralfate? - correct answer ✔✔A:
Administer orally on an empty stomach.
Give four times a day, 1 hr before the usual three mealtimes and again at bedtime.
Do not give antacids within 30 min of administration.
Do not give within 2 hr of administering fluoroquinolone antibiotics, warfarin (Coumadin), phenytoin
(Dilantin), theophylline (Theolair), digoxin (Lanoxin), tetracycline, or diazepam (Valium).
Q: What administration considerations apply to diphenoxylate/atropine and loperamide? - correct
answer ✔✔A:
Diphenoxylate/atropine
Give orally.
Give 20 mg/day in 5-mg doses.
Continue for 24 to 36 hr to determine its efficacy.
Be aware that excessive doses of diphenoxylate can cause CNS effects similar to morphine, but atropine
in high doses causes unpleasant effects that discourage abuse; treat overdoses with naloxone.
Loperamide
